643 
DIVISION OF THE FLEXOR TENDONS. 
regulated by the form of shoe adopted during the healing pio- 
cess. It is astonishing in how short a period this junction again 
takes place; but it is some time before the new substance becomes 
tendinous in its nature, or is capable of performing properly the 
office of a tendon. The object Nature has first in view, is to 
unite the parts; this is accomplished by granulations, which 
remain for some little time extremely vascular and weak, but 
when the first object is obtained, the new substance gradually 
accommodates itself to its destined function, and acquit es the 
firmness and structure of tendon. It must, however, be plainly 
perceived, that by this process, the two sinews, the perforatus 
and perforans, become incorporated together at this place of 
union, and ever afterwards (like the Siamese twins, if the 
simile may be allowed) are precluded from acting indepen¬ 
dently of each other: the os pedis cannot be flexed on the 
pasterns, unless the pasterns are at the same time, and in the 
same degree, flexed on the metacarpus; and the horse becomes 
unable, of his own accord, to present the sole of the foot in a 
supine or inverted position : this, though of minor importance 
for slow draught, is of sufficient consequence, in my opinion, to 
preclude the animal from ever being put to fast work. There is 
another circumstance connected with the operation that has not 
been pointed out; but it strikes me that, as the tendons are gene¬ 
rally in a state of chronic inflammation at the time the section 
is made, much benefit must arise from the fact of putting them 
in a state of absolute rest for a considerable time. The unsuc¬ 
cessful case related by Mr. Holford p in March last, by no means 
shews the inutility of the operation ; for his horse should have 
been put to agricultural or other moderate work to have given 
it a fair chance ; and it is by no means surprising that the animal 
became lame when put to the most trying of all draught, on the 
banks of a canal: and besides this, as the lameness was first 
caused by a kick, and was so severe that blistering and firing 
afforded no relief, is it not extremely probable that the original 
injury was the cause of the return of the lameness ? Mr. H. 
should have said whether or not the part operated on failed— 
whether, in fact, the new connecting substance became painful 
and inflamed; for if not, the operation could not have been the 
cause of the failure. 
CASE. 
In the latter part of December, an old black horse was given 
me, for the purpose of experiment, by Mr. Caiger, coach-pro¬ 
prietor, of Southampton. He had been working in a coach for 
years, and for some time past had been gradually getting more 
